If you’re about to tie the knot for a sustainable wedding, then it’s likely in most cases someone is going to be taking some photos.
But increasingly gone are the days when couples paid for expensive formal photographers, paid a fortune and gave a free meal, then spent hours perusing photos to put in some stuffy photo album, only to be brought out when guests arrive.
Often people like to have friends do ‘reportage photography’. This is where rather than formal poses, guests use digital cameras to capture the real spirit of the day, taking photographs of ‘dad-dancing’ or glimpses between the happy couple on their special day.
Let’s take a look at how to make the wedding photography on your day extra-special, more affordable, greener and kinder!
Use a Digital Camera (made from paper!)
Paper Shoot Camera is a small Texas company (hi y’all!) that has created the world’s first eco-friendly digital camera, made from recycled materials and encased in stone paper (compressed limestone & biodegradable resin) to make it water-resistant (in case of a rainy wedding day!)
All the versions (including ‘vintage leather’) are vegan, and digital cameras eliminates having to use photography paper (only a few brands are vegan).
Small enough to fit in a small bag, users can filter to take photos in colour, black/white, sepia or cool tones. One investment of £140 gives years of use (so you could do a DIY version of the service below, but buy the cameras as ‘wedding gifts’ for friends who take photos).
And if you have a few people taking them, there is less ratio chance of every single one coming back, where someone forgot to take the shutter off!
After use, just upload photos using the included SD card to your phone or online album like Wedibox. Keep the rechargeable batteries away from heat, light & metal items like coins.
These cameras are packed with features, but still simple point-and-shoots for those who prefer ‘real cameras’ over taking photos with their phones. There is a detachable ring light (rather than a flash) and you also use the shutter button to take time-lapse photos and videos. Made ethically in Taiwan by a paper engineer (the company has just 12 employees).
An Alternative to Disposable Wedding Cameras
Posable is an alternative to disposable wedding cameras, which cause so much landfill waste. Just choose a package, then your chosen number of digital cameras arrive 2 days before the wedding, ready to use.
Just turn on the cameras, peek through the viewfinders, and capture the memories. The company provides instructions on delivery, but it’s simply a digital camera, without a screen. The package then includes return postage fee, so cameras are simply dropped off at the post office.
You are then sent an online gallery of all the photos, to choose your favourites to display. Between them, your guests can capture hundreds of smiles, laughs and dance moves. With no costly film processing fees or running out of film on the big day.
There are three packages:
- The Core Package includes hire of three cameras, and receiving an online gallery within 4 weeks.
- The Essence Package includes hire of six cameras, and your online gallery within 2 weeks.
- The Pinnacle Package includes hire of 20 cameras, an online gallery within 72 hours and a 30s social media highlight reel.
The basic package is around £250 (likely less than the cost of a professional photographer). The other options are more expensive. But again for large weddings, it likely works out way cheaper, and is more ‘reportage’ than an official wedding photo album.
‘Dung’ Wedding Albums (to save Elephants!)
These beautiful elephant photo albums these feature beautiful brass elephants on the front, with a cream flecked base. Sold alongside matching photo frames.
On a serious note, the combination of recycled paper and dung, means local people see elephants as opportunities for income, by collecting their dung (a lot of it, as ellie friends eat the same as us eating over 300 cans of beans a day!)
Lack of habitat has meant that elephants end up veering into local villages, and in the past have been shot dead as they trample or eat crops. Buying these items helps to save critically endangered elephants.